STREET SWAGS

The Design of the Street Swag won the INDEX:Peoples Choice Award, the largest design awards in the world. A carry bag by day and a basic bed and shelter by night, the Street Swag was designed to be incredibly discrete so as not to identify people as homeless. This is particularly important for the women and children living on the streets, who need to be 'invisible'.
Our foam comes from Dyman Foams in QLD, who manufacture household mattresses, furniture and car seats.

The Street Swag was designed so there are 2 layers of canvas under a persons feet but no foam. This allows the Street Swag to have a thicker mattress under ones body, with extra room for belongings when the swag is rolled.

The cover sheet can be used as a blanket or strung up like a lean-to style tent. Street Swags can be made into 'double beds' by placing two side by side with one upside-down, so that both cover sheets come inwards. This has been particularly helpful for mothers with small children.

We purchase all our canvas through Queensland Wholesale Canvas. They produce most of the fabrics used in the Australian and New Zealand camping industry, including, Drizabone, R.M. Williams, Southern Cross Swags, Jayco and the Australian Army. They also supply many other countries, because their finishing and waterproofing is so superior.

The Street Swags that are distributed across Australia are manufactured at both Woodford Correctional Centre in Queensland and Grafton Correctional Centre in New South Wales. This gives the prisoners work readiness skills along with tertiary qualifications, whilst being involved in meaningful work.

The swags are then transported to Nudgee College in Brisbane where, as part of the schools social justice program, the students insert the foam mattress, roll the swag and package them ready for dispatch.

The remainder of our Street Swags are manufactured as part of a number of Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) within the Northern Territory through Julalikari Remote Employment Services and Centre Care NT. Participants make the swags for those in their own communities who are sleeping rough.